Baruch delegates for Model U.N.

Baruch students put their diplomatic skills to the test during the college's first regional Model United Nations Conference on Friday, March 5. Model United Nations members from other colleges and universities — including Hunter College, Queens College, University of Bridgeport, Rider University, and Mercer College — were also present at the event.

Hosted in the William and Anita Newman Conference Center, the event was moderated by MUN President John Chung who expressed contentment with the college's efforts to hold the large-scale event

"It takes a lot of initiative for multiples colleges to hold a conference like this and the fact that Baruch hosted it alone shows a lot," said Chung.

"Most of our delegates are new and they are in the development stage but they are showing progress," affirmed Chung. "This conference is really letting them get more exposure." The quasi-delegates competed individually, each representing a distinct nation whose task was to merge with other countries in support of a student drafted resolution.

The simulation was structured into two distinct U.N. principal groups: General Assembly and Security Council.

The larger body of members that represented the General Assembly crowded into the main conference room, while a close-knit group of delegates from the Security Council congregated near the backroom.

Delegates spent the morning negotiating on a conflict in need of resolution.

By the afternoon, members of the General Assembly agreed on U.N. reform while the Security Council focused on the subject of "implementing the right to protect other countries and nations."

Students used the remainder of the day drafting resolutions that coincided with their conflicts, and debated position papers as they researched in huddled groups over shared laptops.

"I'm representing Haiti at the conference and I'm really shaking things up this year," said Noor Ward, a freshman and political science major at Hunter College. "It's not as aggressive as it is at larger conferences but we are a lot more productive and my only complaint would be that there is not enough debate."

Ward additionally demonstrated pride for her college's MUN team.
"Hunter students might have more world experience and our delegation is definitely the best-looking," she firmly stated.

A voting procedure then followed with five draft resolutions reaching the notable status of full-fledged resolutions. The event marked a close with a round of applause for all the delegates.